


Of Stewjon and the River

by GhostGrapes



Series: The Resonance in Us [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Cultural genocide, Drowning, Female Obi-Wan Kenobi, Gen, Hurt Obi-Wan Kenobi, Hurt/Comfort, Injury of a minor, Language Barrier, Obi-Wan Kenobi Gets a Hug, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, Planet Stewjon (Star Wars), Planet Stewjon is Space Scotland, Sacrifice, Stewjoni Culture (Star Wars), Young Obi-Wan Kenobi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:20:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28642851
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GhostGrapes/pseuds/GhostGrapes
Summary: On Stewjon, the Force is not something taken kindly, as a young girl swiftly re-named Obi-Wan Kenobi learns in the most painful way possible. Before her life can be taken by the River, however, she finds herself saved by a figure in a strange robe.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Original Female Character(s)
Series: The Resonance in Us [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2099043
Comments: 1
Kudos: 70





	Of Stewjon and the River

**Author's Note:**

> This idea has been bouncing around in my head for longer than I'd care to admit. It's going to be a part of a larger series that follows a female Obi-Wan through her life.   
> Stewjon is essentially Space Scotland with my own additions and things I've picked up from various other authors here on Ao3, so if you recognize something, like the use of 'the River' and the stuff that goes with that, it's something that came from elsewhere that has been used here. All credit to that goes to the original creator of that idea.  
> While I am currently learning Scottish Gaelic, I did need to use a translator for a lot of the language, so I apologize if it's wrong. Translations are in the end notes.  
> Happy reading!

Stewjon had an interesting history.

Before the Ruusan Reformation changed the Republic forever, Stewjon was extremely insular and worshipped the Force, honouring those who could wield the illusive power. Five hundred years later, when Stewjon was discovered with the expansion of the Outer Rim, settlers and slavers began to flood the planet, and things changed.

Over the next thousand years, the rules around the Force changed and it began to be viewed as something evil, thanks to the influence of the settlers. Force users began to be sacrificed to the River, which the settlers believed were one of the gods, along with the sun. At first, the adults were hunted down and given to the River, but as more children were born, the Clans began to give the younglings over as well, and it began to be seen as a necessary part of their Faith.

The Republic unfortunately did very little to help those with the Force on Stewjon, given how Stewjon exported very little, apart from woven and knitted textiles, and some very strong alcohol. It was a miracle, really, that they had been folded into the Republic in the first place with how primitive they were viewed to be by the Core.

Given the dislike the settlers had towards the Jedi and the dislike towards outsiders the Stewjoni had, the Jedi Order was not welcome on the planet, and therefore they were not aware of what was brewing until it was already done. The settlers’ beliefs had spread quickly, what with the burning of altars and the murder of those who held on strongly to their beliefs surrounding the Force. If one were to look at it from a purely academic standpoint, it was truly fascinating how the settlers were able to completely change the entire culture of the Stewjoni and bury anything that was not theirs in a matter of centuries.

Clan McGregor of the Northern Highlands was devout to their faith and obeyed the laws of the Clans. From birth, their children were taught of the wicked power that cursed those who did not follow the Faith. In 943 Ruus, Clan McGregor was blessed with a beautiful daughter. Her colouring was standard for Stewjoni, with firey hair, stormy blue eyes, and pale skin. For the first year of her life, the daughter was loved and taught the Faith by her Clan, but soon, things began to change.

You see, the girl knew things that she shouldn’t have. She would just know when things were about to happen, though her parents did not realize until her second year, given how quiet she was. Once her parents began to notice her knowledge of things that had not yet come to pass, they also began to notice the other quirks she had. Things seemed to move towards her when she reached for them, animals favoured her and flocked to her when she was outside, and she predicted when things would happen with alarming accuracy, though that knowledge generally came with horrible nightmares.

Soon enough, the daughter found herself dragged before the Clan leader.

“ _Carson a thug thu a-steach i an seo?_ ” he asked as the daughter shook slightly, feeling the negative emotions coming from her màthair. It was unpleasant and she wished that she could make her màthair happy again, like she had been weeks earlier.

“ _Chaidh a truailleadh, Ceannard a ’Chinnidh._ ”

The Clan leader frowned. “ _Tha thu cinnteach?_ ” Her _màthair_ nodded, grip tightening on her arm. The child whimpered but said nothing, the Wicked Thing warning her of danger if she did. “ _An uairsin bidh i gu bràth aithnichte mar Obi-Wan Kenobi, agus air a toirt don Abhainn. Feumaidh tu gu madainn._ ”

Her _màthair_ bowed. “ _Tha, Ceannard cinnidh. Thèid a dhèanamh._ ”

The daughter, now named Obi-Wan Kenobi, was dragged down to the River by her _màthair_ \- no, not her _màthair_. Little Obi-Wan Kenobi was no one and child of nothing, as per the language and laws of the settlers. Alone in the galaxy and moments away from being given to the River by the woman who had given her life, little Obi-Wan Kenobi grasped at the Wicked Thing desperately, pleading for help. She did not want to die, the Wicked Thing had shown her so many times that she was meant for more. Not when she had the Marks on her skin, telling her there were three people out there waiting for her to find them. It was one of the first things she'd been taught, the meaning behind the Marks. They had been stories for children, obviously, but Obi-Wan had always intuitive and smart for her age, understanding things much faster than others in the Clan. 

Little Obi-Wan squirmed, crying out as she tried to get away from her not- _màthair_ ’s harsh grip that was forcing her into the icy water. It was wintertime on Stewjon, but the River never froze over, though the water became as cold as ice. It was a roaring and wild thing that left none of those given to it alive.

“ _Chan eil, màthair! Feuch, stad! Is urrainn dhomh a bhith nas fheàrr!_ ” Obi-Wan screamed as her _màthair_ fought to keep her under the water, fighting both the current and the small child wriggling and lashing out with the Wicked Thing the best she could, untrained as she was.

“ _Sàmhchair._ ”

Letting out another scream, Obi-Wan clawed at her _màthair_ ’s arms, leaving angry red lines as she went under once more. Things were looking grim as the cold water leeched the energy from Obi-Wan’s muscles, making her unable to fight as she lost oxygen. Just as Obi-Wan began to convulse, unable to hold her breath any longer, even with the Wicked Thing’s help, there was a voice in her mind. It was kind, though she could not understand its words. A moment later, she found herself sprawled on the snow-covered bank, coughing up the water that had found its way into her lungs.

As she coughed up the water, little Obi-Wan saw a figure with dark robes with a hood that covered a face with equally dark skin speaking angrily to her _màthair_. The young girl had never seen a being like them before, given how pale her people were. The only true variations were the eye and hair colours, which showed the differences between the descendants of the settlers and the descendants of the original Stewjoni. Those who, like Obi-Wan, had red hair and blue/green eyes were of the original Stewjoni, while those with brown or blonde hair and brown eyes were settlers.

The strange being continued to speak to màthair, though Obi-Wan knew not what they said. By Clan law, she would not learn Basic until she started school with the other children. Though, with the way things were going, she would never make it to six winters. She was barely halfway through her third year alive.

Quite suddenly, Obi-Wan found herself being yanked out of màthair’s arms and into the _coigreach_ , the stranger’s, where she was gently cradled against their chest. A few more sharp words were exchanged, and then màthair turned away without a word and back to the village, leaving little Obi-Wan with the _coigreach_. There was a part of her that wished to call out to her màthair, plead with her to take her back home to her athair and piuthar, but she knew it could not be as she curled further into the warmth the stranger provided. For a moment, the _coigreach_ was silent, but then they spoke strange words, looking down at Obi-Wan gently.

“ _Chan eil mi a ’tuigsinn,_ ” she told them because she really didn’t understand what the stranger was saying. She didn’t understand anything that was happening.

The _coigreach_ murmured something again and then a feeling of _warmthsafetypeace_ washed over her causing tears to come to the child’s eyes. She’d missed the feeling after so much hostility from her family and village. To have it again, even from a stranger, made her sink into the warmth that was provided and she fell into an exhausted slumber in the safety of their arms.

**Author's Note:**

> Translations:  
> Scottish Gaelic (Stewjoni):  
> Carson a thug thu a-steach i an seo? - Why have you brought her here?  
> Chaidh a truailleadh, Ceannard a ’Chinnidh - She has been tainted, Clan Leader  
> Tha thu cinnteach? - You are certain?  
> Màthair - mother  
> An uairsin bidh i gu bràth aithnichte mar Obi-Wan Kenobi, agus air a toirt don Abhainn. Feumaidh tu gu madainn. - Then she will be forever known as Obi-Wan Kenobi, and given to the River. You have until dawn.  
> Tha, Ceannard cinnidh. Thèid a dhèanamh. - Yes, Clan Leader. It will be done.  
> Chan eil, màthair! Feuch, stad! Is urrainn dhomh a bhith nas fheàrr! - No, mother! Please, stop! I can be better!  
> Sàmhchair. - Silence.  
> Coigreach - stranger, outsider  
> Athair - father  
> Piuthar - sister  
> Chan eil mi a ‘tuigsinn - I don’t understand
> 
> If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, let me know and I'll try my best to answer as quickly as I can!  
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
